A RAGING Newcastle star had to be calmed down by a team-mate during a meeting about Alexander Isak’s future, reports say.
The Swede’s transfer saga dominated the summer window but it finally came to a close on deadline day.
Isak got his £130million move from Newcastle to Liverpool – having spent the summer on strike to force it through.
But according to the Daily Mail , Toon bosses never ruled out the sale but insisted it would have to come at the right price.
Liverpool’s first approach of £110m was rejected – but Newcastle were preparing for life without Isak.
They had already registered interest in Joao Pedro, Liam Delap, Benjamin Sesko and Hugo Ekitike – who instead joined Liverpool.
And they did agree deals for Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa before allowing Isak to join Anfield in a British transfer-record deal.
But the damage had already been done for Isak – who refused to go on pre-season tour with Newcastle.
Following a meeting about the player’s future, it is claimed one player in particular was so fuming he had to be calmed down by a team-mate.
But others were also sympathetic towards Isak’s desire to leave – having communicated it to the club at the end of last season.
Isak to Liverpool transfer saga timeline
- JANUARY: First links to Liverpool emerge
- FEBRUARY: £150million record fee mooted
- MARCH: Isak denies Newcastle contract talk
- APRIL: Eddie Howe hails Isak as “very professional.”
- MAY: Howe insists Isak will not be sold
- Last match in Newcastle shirt
- JUNE: Transfer links to Liverpool heat up
- JULY: Flies with Newcastle for Austria training camp
- Left out of Celtic friendly
- Liverpool hijack Toon’s Hugo Ekitike deal after making Isak enquiry
- Doesn’t travel for pre-season tour of Singapore and South Korea, citing injury
- AUGUST: Training by himself at Newcastle
- Liverpool have £110m bid rejected
- Isak stops training and goes on strike
- Moves out of his apartment
- Releases angry statement blasting ‘trust has been lost’
- Newcastle respond by insisting he won’t be sold unless it benefits club
- Misses Newcastle’s first three games of season, including 3-2 defeat to Liverpool
- Newcastle relent and will accept £130m with 24 hours of window left
- Liverpool have £130m bid accepted on Aug 31
- SEPTEMBER: Isak travels to Liverpool for medical on deadline day morning
- Liverpool announce British record signing on deadline day at 9.30pm – two-and-a-half hours after transfer window closes
- Takes No9 shirt at Anfield
- Newcastle release blunt 37-word statement confirming exit
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS
There were efforts to keep Isak with Newcastle officials meeting him at his home before their 3-2 home defeat to Liverpool.
The striker welcomed co-owner Jamie Reuben into his home – but slammed the door on talks of a reconciliation.
Isak’s sister was said to have been staying with him during the saga – popping out to Waitrose for supplies.
With Newcastle having secured the services of Woltemade from Stuttgart and Brentford’s Wissa – Isak was finally free to leave.
Liverpool agreed a deal worth £125m with £5m in solidarity payments to bring the wantaway forward to Merseyside.
And it brought a close to the summer window’s most storied chapter – with Newcastle confirming the deal in a very blunt statement.
It read: “Newcastle United can announce the sale of striker Alexander Isak to Liverpool for a significant British record transfer fee.
“The Sweden international joined the Magpies from Real Sociedad in 2022 and made 109 appearances in all competitions.”
Isak, 25, said: “It’s a mixture of what the club is building.
“But what they’re building on top of what the club already is. The history of the club.
“Me getting the chance to be a part of this, I want to create history. I want to win trophies. That’s ultimately the biggest motivation for me.
“And I feel like this is the perfect place for me to grow even further and to take my game to the next level and help the team as well.
“I feel like this is the next step for me in my career. I’m super-happy that I’ve been given this chance and I’m very motivated to do something well with it.”
